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Originally Posted by Schneed10
We're having trouble here because of our difference in focus, I think. When I talk about ratings, I'm talking about the scientific tests that are done which measure the reliability of a car. Those ratings are as objective as it gets, they simply measure the frequency and severity of problems.
But there are ratings done where people are basically writing their opinions of a car's performance. And you're right, those are subjective.
That's my fault, I wasn't clear. Again, as you can see I'm focusing on how often a car breaks down and how costly it is to fix. Because the 2nd most important thing to me when it comes to cars is money (second to safety); what does it cost to buy, what does it cost to finance, what does it cost to fix, what does it cost to fuel. But we're clearly different, performance is more important to you than reliability. And that's cool.
Step one for any car buyer is to figure out what kind of driver they are. You and I definitely have a feel for that at this point.
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Makes sense.
And just let me also add that capabilities are really important to me as well (not just in terms of raw performance, but also in terms of luxury, towing capacity, functionality, features, etc.).....and in my experience I've been able to get more for my money in those departments buying American. Admittedly, yes, reliablity ratings and resale value aren't typically as important to me in a general sense. Of course, I always check to see that the specific car doesn't have any reliablity concerns or recurring problems areas......but the fact that "Hondas" are generally more reliable than "GMC's" doesn't mean much to me because every model is different (which is why I really liked your 5-step process so much......the issue is more about the specific model for the specific year than it is about generalities with the manufacturer).